Cable Visions Television Beyond Broadcasting

Cable Visions is a compelling exploration of contemporary U.S. television that grapples with the contradictory logic of consumerism and citizenship upon which cable TV is based. Thoroughly researched, accessible, and innovative in design, the essays trace cable from its early utopian beginnings as 'alternative' TV to its current-day realization as a multichannel (but not necessarily diverse) commercial system aimed at niche tastes. A 'must read' for anyone interested in understanding the opportunities and limits of the new media environment. - Lynn Spigel,author of Make Room for TV and TV by Design Through a series of highly original and carefully researched essays, Cable Visions offers a lively and comprehensive survey of the contemporary multichannel television landscape in the United States. - William Boddy,author of New Media and Popular Imagination: Launching Radio, Television, and Digital Media in the United States This comprehensive survey is a must for anyone interested in the opportunities, limits, and future projections of the new-media environment. (CHOICE)